


Where The Kisses Never Stop

by angeldescendant



Category: The Boxer (Webtoon)
Genre: Action & Romance, And then flashbacks galore, Basically fighting fighting fighting, Basically this is the ending, Blood and Violence, Boxing & Fisticuffs, Canon Compliant, Fist Fights, Fluff and Humor, For Yuto Takeda, Fuck it no one's making a fic about them on AO3 so imma do it, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:54:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28688997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angeldescendant/pseuds/angeldescendant
Summary: Yu knew where the light he’d been long searching for was: On In-Jae’s bloodstained teeth, his leather-tethered fists, and his bruised sides that bloomed darker the more Yu broke his bones.Or, Yu fights In-Jae in the biggest match of their lives and rekindles something he thought he lost.
Relationships: Yu/Injae
Comments: 11
Kudos: 18





	Where The Kisses Never Stop

**Author's Note:**

> No one is writing a fic for this fucking webtoon in AO3 so imma do shit. There will be two chapters because I cannot fit all my feelings in one. Inspired by HnI (you know which match I'm talking about)! 
> 
> -If there are changes to the names it's because I read this first in a random site but too lazy to change things ugh (e.g. In-Jae is Jay/Injae, Cheol is Steel)
> 
> -I dedicate this fic to my poor boi Yuto Takeda YOU DESERVE BETTER LOVE

_**Where The Kisses Never Stop**_

Yu had an inexplicable aversion to sentimentality. He couldn’t get behind this so-called desire to simplify and simply fall under its trappings of inflated gestures and cloying metaphors. A voice _like honey, sun-bruised, star-crossed palms…_ Words that dripped with triteness and obnoxious excess only confused him. He did not wander too much on the semantics before he resumed his pattern of training and winning.

Maybe this was why he could not understand why his opponents crushed their own dreams after he fought them. One decisive loss should not hold them back. There was glory in getting up after a down— he learned this from a friend back before coach K took him in. But then again, most boxers he faced always seemed so far away. He recalled their last visit to South Korea. K and he hiked at one of the country’s tallest peaks:  
  


* * *

_“How does it feel, being literally at the top?” K roared, hands spread-eagled as he faced Yu. He saw hikers taking pictures, striking poses, or simply taking in the view. It was all soil and flora to him, nothing special. There was the cloud-smattered sky, then green and grey-scape, then the ocean._

_“Very high,” he answered as he followed K near the cliffside. He did not find it dull, following K, feeding on his cryptic instructions and winning nonetheless. K was kind and headstrong, something he never saw in himself. Despite his dislike for sentimentality, he liked gravitating to people who wholly embrace it, feeding on their light, taking it in._

_“It’s good that you still notice that,” K laughed. “It’s the same in the boxing world. You’re at the apex, and the other boxers are less than ants.”_

_“Not really,” Yu replied. There is another person who rivalled K with regards to being kind and headstrong. He blinked thrice at one of the climbers passing by, mistaking one to possess blonde hair and jade eyes. “I never really think I’m too high up.”_

_K chuckled. It astounded Yu, how his lack of enthusiasm never dampened Coach K’s spirit. He had been under his wing for five years now, and never did his coach ever scrutinise his inability to care about anything. “It makes me wonder, how, despite all that damn talent and bloodthirst, you never let them consume you.”_

_“Well, yes. If I fall from this height, it will hurt a lot.”_

_His coach called it an awareness of his own mortality. Yu only thought of the pain, and then followed K back down._

* * *

Yu eventually reunited with his friend. But reminiscing must come later. Instead, Yu stared at his gauzed fist, tightly wound by K himself. He clenched hard.

They were in the champion’s waiting room. Team K was present sans their gym manager who sat at one of the lower boxes, rubbing elbows with celebrities who still care about boxing. He practised with the mitts, the coach grunting at each clean hit, and then they waited.

Waiting never bothered him. He preferred listening to the lull of the throng outside than making conversation.

“You say this match is important to you, and yet you’re still so damn calm,” one of his trainers sputtered out after the third undercard ended.

Yu stared at him with his ghostly black eyes. “You don’t believe me?”

“We do, but…” his trainer shifted gears immediately, tapping his feet behind him. “Are you really retiring after this fight?”

Yu then looked at K and refused to look at anyone else. “You gave your blessing.”

“Only if you find this fight fun,” K shrugged. “This is the reason why you box, yes?”

None of them made fun of him for this. Maybe this was why he can stand being around this much people.

“I’ll find it fun,” Yu assured, trying to smile by pressing the edges of his mouth upward. “He promised me.”

* * *

In the other waiting room, there was only pandemonium as the challenger’s seconds threw and grabbed their ten thousand won after each undercard fight.

“What the fuck? All KO wins tonight?” One of the seconds, a tattooed man named Cheol angrily threw the last of his allowance to the winners of their current bet.

“The energy is different here compared to the other arenas I’ve been in,” the coach agreed, pocketing his share. “The crowd’s big and rowdy too.” He tapped the door where the voices boomed.

“You’re too noisy, dangit!” In-Jae tried covering his ears. “Stop making me nervous.”

“Your fault for wanting to take on the world,” Cheol drawled. “And with that monster no less. I’ve prepared a grave and eulogy for you.”

“Yu’s not a monster! And I never thought of dying in the ring, geez-“ It was difficult, to prevent his heart from seeking too much attention. There were a lot of emotions swelling inside him: Excitement, apprehension, annoyance… The din outside and his team’s bickering only reinforced it. He couldn’t wait to put everything to rest once he entered the ring and finally faced Yu. “If you want me to do my best, then let me focus!”

“No way.”

“This is your fault for dragging us here, you little bitch.”

“I hate you all…” In-Jae moaned, now turning to the nearest wall and attempting to slam his forehead into it to make him ignore the goddamn hammering in his chest. “Giving me a death sentence already-”

“It was nice knowing you.”

“God bless later.”

“Oh, another KO.”

“Dang you-“ In-Jae might as well make sure he kept his sanity intact at least.

* * *

Four months ago, In-Jae got a call from the esteemed K. The champ personally took his challenge application from the files and handed it to his coach.

A vigil was held when his gym heard the news.

“Fuck you,” In-Jae swore for the first time in his life when he was handed incense. “You don’t think I can go the distance? I’m a slugger, he’s an out boxer. It’s a great match-up.”

“Forget lasting three rounds. That monster must have a thin list if he ever picked you. Can’t blame any prospect for chickening out.”

His coach folded his arms as he stared In-Jae down. “Cheol’s right. I remember when that boy came to our gym years ago. K did not think twice in accepting his request.”

“Coach, you said you didn’t mail in the challenge application.”

“I sent an extra,” said In-Jae. “I’m in the single digits in the WBA and WBC. I have the right to try.”

“We’ve been watching every fight he’s been in,” the coach said. “He’s beyond you. Don’t be a reckless piece of shit this time around. Fight’s abroad. Also, I don’t want any of my boxers to die under my watch.”

“Then I’ll work five times as hard! I’ll look for a better part-time job to pay for our airfare and board. I’ll cook during our stay if I have to! Throw the towel whenever. Please-“

His coach looked at Cheol. “You’re taking responsibility for not intercepting In-Jae’s application.”

“Asshole, quit washing your hands clean. Hey, you promise we can throw the towel whenever right? Even in the first round?”

In-Jae gulped. “Fourth… at least?”

Cheol turned to their coach again. “Tell his dad we did our best convincing him to live.”

“Naturally. I’ll be stopping at the orphanage for a replacement later.”

“I’m still here, you heartless bastards!”

* * *

Carmen, the Lions Gym manager was one of the people who discreetly hated Yu with a passion. He had undeniable talent, a relentless work ethic and a strong stomach for violence, traits he shared with K’s last five students. Unlike the past champions, however, he was also standoffish and difficult to figure out. For one, Yu disliked company and rarely attended their post-match parties; if he did attend, he would return home by 9 PM. His cat was his only companion in his house. She had attempted to set him up with some women she knew, but they would often call her in tears, either terrified or angry at Yu’s inability to crack a smile or conversation. He also did not have an affinity for luxury despite rolling in dough with the PPV’s and sponsorships, never changing the model of his TV or using his bed, preferring to sleep on the floor. Unfortunately, the masses loved his reserved image and the allure of mystery that asshole exuded, lapping up any shred of interview or appearance he was forced to do by his team. Hence, the full house tonight despite his opponent being a no-name fighter until their interview a few nights ago.

She was also a keen observer and instantly recognized the father of Yu’s opponent on her right.

“You are not with K this time?” He was the first to voice the irony, however. She turned. In-Jae was almost the spitting image of his father.

“My duties are limited to his gym, not his fighters,” she said. “Did you visit your son earlier?”

“I don’t have to,” he said. “What good can an unremarkable ex-fighter teach him? He had long surpassed me when he took the national title.”

“The champion invited me a few days ago for breakfast. He said your son admired you a great deal.” He also glossed over In-Jae staying the night before and making him spicy fish stew to share with K and the rest of the trainers. He ate little to make the weight.

He fumbled with his left cuff sleeve. She recognised In-Jae wearing the same one in their joint interview five days ago. Yu lent him his spare suit during the press conference because his old one was too big. Of course, Carmen knew this because that cheeky shit requested her help the morning before that damn interview for the first time; he did not know what to wear. “That kid really puts his faith in the wrong people most of the time. That’s why he’s even here in the first place.”

His beam did not dissipate. Carmen wanted to root for In-Jae too. Might help her get that bastard to agree with renovating and using the TV she gifted last Christmas. “Do you think your son can win?”

“Now you’re testing me. How about you?”

“In-Jae’s tenacity has been his biggest asset. But Yu is in another plane entirely. K made him the perfect out boxer to slice apart an opponent without giving them any openings. He’s called ‘Untouchable’ for a reason.”

“Give me a break, he’s all my son ever talks about,” his father sighed. “Never getting hit while flying punches on any angle he wishes, the TKO wins since his debut, the whole shebang. In-Jae had always been watching him. He had honed his style specifically to face the strongest boxer in the world. There’s less than one per cent chance he can take the win. Not the best odds, but still-”

“Not zero,” Carmen laughed. She was banking on it too and texted her favourite interior designer to draft plans for Yu’s two-storey bungalow.

The intermission then ended, and darkness engulfed the entire venue. Everyone began clapping and stamping their feet, uttering the headliner’s names. The excitement was palpable, drowning out even the announcer’s voice as he announced the start of the main event.

_What kind of match will you show the untouchable champion, In-Jae?_

* * *

_How will your entrance be like?_ the organizers asked In-Jae during the press conference. Months before his fight, there were plenty of ideas laid that usually ended with In-Jae perfecting his chokehold on every member of their gym for pushing with K-pop concepts.

“You’re pretty for a boxer. M’sure sure most of your fans adore you for your looks and not your shitty record.”

“I hate it here-“ _Especially when people are slamming facts,_ In-Jae wanted to add but thought better than admitting his defeat and letting their long noses grow too much to ignore.

“Look, I’m just saying since that’ll make it easier for people to buy tickets because no one gives a shit about you outside Korea.”

“And it’s currently ‘in.’ Let’s try putting on a wig-“

“Don’t embarrass me in front of the champ, please,” In-Jae covered his entire head and quickly ducked under Cheol’s hands, running out to do roadwork.

He told Yu about his ordeal when he stayed at the champ’s house nights before the match, how he tried plenty of entrances and costumes, his background music lifted out of Cheol’s sister’s playlist. Yu never laughed, but he did call it weird.

_I admire you for commanding everyone’s attention just by coming out,_ In-Jae sighed, remembering how Yu always donned his black parka and marched without any entrance theme or a national flag paraded behind him. Yu had this towering presence that even a single glance at his gelled hair would grant instant recognition.

_I don’t like a flashy entrance,_ Yu admitted, simply wanting to get the fight over with and feed his cat as his way of congratulating himself. He assumed his gym manager treated him coldly after he ditched his second afterparty. K nudged him to go one time, and the experience had been so terrible Yu never went to another person’s house again. _You should go with your gut and assert it to your team without hesitating. They will admire you for it._

It was a strange experience to take your opponent’s advice and listen to Yu uttering more than two words. But he was still the person In-Jae remembered deep down— keeping a low profile and speaking only when asked. His talent was apparent back in high school, but he only shined when he started boxing and was thousands of miles away from the bullies who tormented the two of them. It was for the best that they drifted apart after their last bloody encounter.

“You’re up,” an organizer said, opening the door.

“We’ll be out soon,” his coach said before the man closed the door, the first to stand up for their team. Shit, their inexperience was showing. No matter. He then turned at his pupil, the asshole who dragged them into this mess in the first place. “You ready?”

The shaking from both knees was gone. He sank one last time, green gloves aloft. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

“Thank me later, when you’ve won the belts,” his coach said. “Take your time regaining your focus. The spectators can go fuck themselves.”

“It’s fine,” In-Jae said, standing up, his robes billowing from the fan. His coach’s hairs stood on end. “I can’t wait anymore.” He proceeded to embrace his coach and then a stunned Cheol, losing every whit of sentiment before opening the door for everyone, the constant thing he had been doing since he came to the gym and requested to train under the man who beat his father.

His coach wiped the dust from his eyes. “You cheeky little shit. I’m supposed to go out first.”

* * *

Maybe as a father, he spoiled In-Jae too much when he was a kid, letting him watch his matches at ringside and teaching him the basics. He knew In-Jae did not take after his looks and demeanour. His son was wide-eyed and full of heart. He never lost it when he grew up. Maybe that was how he had gotten away with going pro. This might be why he won his very first match, despite how big and strong his first opponent was.

A light of sorts, as how he appeared now.

_“Gliding towards the ring, like a ghost in white, is the junior welterweight challenger from Korea– the one dubbed the immovable, the one the champion acknowledged as his biggest challenge yet–“_

“Makes for an interesting contrast,” Carmen said as the audience clapped, too stunned as the challenger strode past, his large hood hiding his face from them. “Yu always entered wearing black.”

In-Jae must have done this on purpose. He really did look like a ghost as the lights followed him towards the execution grounds, no trimmings of gold or silver present in his white robes. No sponsor had glanced twice at his direction except the grocery in front of their house. Always the underdog, always chasing the sun, moon, and stars.

The smile wormed again around the edges of his mouth. This boy will be the death of him. “He called me last night and told me about this. I had the same thoughts as you. He originally wanted to wear all-silver, but the shops had run out of fabric.”

“He made his robes?”

His father nodded. “He works hard in everything. He said he wanted to dress up like a knight.”

“Because Yu is the dragon?”

He really was no better as the rest of them. That was the same thing that came out of his mouth. “Because he needed to be brave.” _There’s a person I wanted to save for the past five years and I will be standing in the same ring as him soon. Please watch me, dad._

In-Jae really did take after his mother. She never gave up until the bitter end as well.

* * *

_Crush all excess, don’t think beyond what’s necessary_ , Yu said to himself, nodding at coach K when it was their turn.

“What did I tell you this time?” K said, his right hand on the door latch.

“Make sure he never gets up again,” Yu answered before closing his eyes. _Answer your opponent properly. Don’t think._ It was difficult. His throat was dry. He kept remembering that eve in his house and how In-Jae was the first person to use his king-sized bed because he always preferred the floor. Then how, as he slept, Yu filled the lone space beside his.

“Snuff him out completely,” K opened the door and strode ahead. “I trust you can follow my instructions?”

“Well, yes…” Yu said. He recalled his spars with two middleweights, a southpaw and an orthodox, at the same time and amidst his weight control. It was brutal work. He had forgotten entirely how gnawing food felt like when In-Jae cooked a batch of enoki pancakes. In-Jae could barely finish his share when he noticed Yu’s parched lips, the darker circles. _Now I get a little why you’re so strong,_ he said, citing Yu’s lack of possessions, his muted longsuffering, and his pet cat.

_The coach had told me to go up two weight classes two years ago._

_I’m sorry for taking so long._

Yu clenched both fists as the halls melted away and out rose indelible noise then the four corners of the ring. He kept his eyes fixated at the man in pure white robes and refused to look away. Not until he powdered the soles of his feet and climbed the ring did the noise become more pronounced, the lights less bright, and his dreams solidified.

_Was Mr. K’s encouragement the reason why you wanted to go pro?_ he remembered In-Jae asking him, minutes before he closed his eyes.

_No. Promise me you won’t laugh._

In-Jae was there, in the other corner, smiling wanly at him. _I’ll never do that._

Yu raised his left fist and the crowd roared. Finally.

_It’s you._

* * *

Carmen felt goosebumps flooding her entire body when she saw Yu acknowledge his name and the wild response afterwards. This, it registered to the audience, was no ordinary title match for Yu. _I’m here_ , he asserted as he forcefully raised his fist. _Let’s see what you’ve got._

It was difficult to focus on the ringside announcer, as the two fighters faced each other while the referee explained the rules. No animosity present between the two of them. Carmen wasn’t worried. She had witnessed Yu evolve into the untouchable and undisputed pound-for-pound champion of the world since he came to Lions gym. She made sure Yu did not collapse at his house during his harsh weight control. He prevailed each time.

Was this tension then? In-Jae was K’s least favourite for Yu, dismissing his stats and lack of power. This was the first time Yu stood up and told the coach he was willing to look for another trainer if he refused again. His manager was summoned thirty minutes later for the paperwork.

K did not like being defied. It reminded her of Aaron Tide’s departure, one of K’s pupils and the strongest puncher of that man’s generation. _This will be the last time. If you destroy him, I’ll reconsider,_ K said as he signed the fight contract.

It was the first time K wanted to kill Yu through training. Maintaining his old junior welterweight form and keeping up with the K’s demanding schedule made Yu pass out in the back of Carmen’s car when she drove him home every midnight. Yu never complained even as she portioned his meals, his drinks, and made him sleep with multiple heaters each night.

The fighters then went to their respective corners. Carmen couldn’t help biting her right thumb. Yu can end this decisively, but the later rounds are new territory for him. In-Jae was famed for his toughness and his ability to turn things around come the fifth and sixth. There was also that damn gimmick of his, something he had been honing far before his debut.

“How do you think the first round will go?” In-Jae’s father said, now moving closer to her because of the crowd’s cries was becoming too palpable as they waited for the inevitable bell.

“Yu rarely makes the first move,” Carmen said. This was not usually to study his opponents, but to set up the slaughter he would seamlessly execute. She remembered in his last fight how he goaded the opponent to push him on the ropes, only to slice through his victim’s left eyelid with a vicious hook, the blood spraying on the camera lens behind him. Would Yu do the same to his friend, the only boxer he gave a damn about?

“It’s the same in In-Jae’s case. He’s a slow starter. Takes time to get his engine revved up,” he said. The bell then rings. The referee chops the air.

“Box!”

It was like a missile. A black glove launched itself straight towards In-Jae’s jaw before he could even make a stance. He was quickly pushed against the corner. Carmen’s eyes widened as Yu removed all escape routes, raising both fists before beginning his assault. Did he make _the first move?_

“The champ likes exceeding expectations, doesn’t he?” In-Jae’s father said.

“ _It's a rain of blood and sweat in the first round!_ ” the announcer roared. The crowds were excited. Right off the bat, they were getting their money’s worth of seeing another bloodbath.

It was only a matter of time before In-Jae’s guard would be unable to hold, Carmen thought. She was sure that darker liquid flying out was blood from Yu’s clean punches. The first time she saw him unleash those weapons, she could not imagine the psychological shock it induced as he sliced left and right as if performing an autopsy. _A devil,_ the audience concluded then, and the name stuck.

Carmen’s lips parted when she saw how, in three seconds, the challenger threw a left straight that Yu was quick to avoid, then side-stepped to the left before throwing three consecutive jabs and lunging straight into Yu’s chest. _He’s not afraid. He’s facing that devil head-on._

_He’s an exceptional person. He wanted to save me from my tormentors once, even if he knew he’d die trying_ , she heard Yu’s clammy voice ringing, back at the time he could not decide what suit to wear to meet him.

She covered her mouth when her eyes met Yu’s, as his face fell on the canvas, as the announcer articulated her reaction along with the crowd—

_“What the fuck was that?”_

* * *

So this was how it was like, taking a down. Not as painful as Yu imagined, nor as terrifying. It must be the right cross that did him in. _No. That was no cross._ He opened his eyes as he recalled that time In-Jae’s punch connected with his jaw. _He switched stances._

“Four!” he heard the referee call out. Of course. Yu stood up without much fuss. Was he frustrated at In-Jae, or himself for taking a down? His coach will be furious for his recklessness. That was unavoidable. He readied his fists again. In-Jae could switch to southpaw that quickly? He was faster than the lightweight champ he defeated, definitely. He felt his pulse drum faster.

“Can you still fight?” The referee asked him. He was also reeling from that down. The audience must be too.

“Yes,” Yu nodded quietly, closing himself off again. The referee lowered his hand, welcoming the ragged In-Jae in.

In-Jae had not yet recovered but still charged forward, covering his face. That was all Yu needed, letting his lefts fly out. In-Jae kept pressing on, weaving past his flickers, grunting per punch that landed, his green eyes still alight. It was too easy to read them. In-Jae’s opponents underestimated him for this. He got hit more often than they do. His swings can be too wide. But-

_“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the shaping up as the best fight this sport has in decades. Remember his name, In-Jae, folks- and another powerful left from the champion. He won’t be taking that down in stride!”_

It amazed Yu, how In-Jae kept pressing forward, anticipating and ducking, going lower and lower, and keeping his chin tucked in. He always looked straight ahead, fearless despite the punches that keep pushing him back. The challenger could keep up to his current speed now. He heard the ten-second mark pass. Despite his famed rashness, In-Jae was surprisingly patient, not budging one bit in his plan to close in and conquer.

_That’s enough from you,_ Yu’s eyes widened as he unleashed the same right that sent him to the mat earlier, straight to In-Jae’s temple-

The bell rung.

* * *

“Damn, talk about self-control,” In-Jae’s coach said once In-Jae sat down, out of breath and badly bruised on both arms. Yu managed to stop his fist from making contact before the referee jumped in between them. The crowd was as breathless as In-Jae, their cheers barely rippling as they fanned themselves.

“I feel he did that on purpose. He could’ve finished you if he sped up right off the bat,” Cheol said, giving In-Jae his drink. “But congrats. Never thought you’d be able to hand him a down and on the first round-“

“Don’t let it get to your head,” his coach cut in. “He’s probably testing how tough you are. This is just level 1.”

In-Jae could only nod. Dammit, he was saved by the bell. That punch, if it landed-

“His reach is incredible up close,” he said, locking his eyes at the coach. “I can’t even see his fists-“ Thank god for his training and being drilled to punch before he can think.

“Can you hang on?” his coach asked further. “The champion will definitely go faster. The next few rounds will be agony.”

In-Jae nodded. His tortuous road to the top prepared him for the close taste of defeat. “I won’t run away.”

“Seconds out!” someone announced.

His coach placed both hands on his shoulders, black eyes against In-Jae’s green. “Remember what we practised.”

“Yes, sir!” In-Jae put on his mouth guard and stood up.

* * *

K’s expression was unreadable. Yu assumed he wasn’t angry or disappointed. He was as shocked as the rest of them, albeit for different reasons.

“Can you take them?” he asked. _You took that hit on purpose, didn’t you?_

“Yes. I must,” Yu closed his eyes. _I wanted to prepare myself for what’s to come._

“No hubris at all, eh? That’s what I liked best about you, out of all the pupils I’ve raised,” K said. Yu could only stare. His jaw was still tingling, but the damage was minimal.

“I want to see if I can pull it off,” Yu said. “The perfect punch.”

“Really now?” It was K’s turn to be pensive. “All your opponents fell before you could try.”

“In-Jae’s not like the rest of them,” Yu answered back. Their staring match lasted until the call for the seconds to leave.

“Alright then. If you can’t pull it off this round, I’m calling the shots,” K said as he retreated down. “Don’t make the same mistake.”

Yu nodded, putting on his mouthguard. He shifted his right foot forward, lowering his arms as they waited for the second round. On the other corner, In-Jae squirmed uneasily as he raised his guard, his eyes barely visible now. At least he had an inkling of what’s to come.

The bell rang once more. Yu took a step forward, before becoming wind. _Time to raise some hell._

* * *

In the second round or the round where Yu wins by KO almost every time, In-Jae gritted his teeth as tightened his guard, just in time before a right grazed his face. _Shit,_ he thought, as Yu began unleashing each hit, explosive on contact and taking In-Jae aback each time. _Speed and power and just the right amount of recklessness… You’re amazing Yu._ In-Jae could not help fawning, smiling, with every fist that comes in contact with his guard, as it kept pushing him back until his back is inches on the ropes again. He kept his eyes concentrated on these machine gun-like blurs of black and red. _Wait for Yu to catch his breath, then-_

He put his right foot and hand forward before pushing through with deflecting Yu’s blows. He was definitely faster compared to the last time. _Was this level 2? Shit, switching was already difficult in the first round, but this time-_

In-Jae cursed in kind once Yu’s right upper nearly made contact with his chin. The last thing he needed was for Yu to pay him back in kind for the down. They were in the ring for barely four minutes, but the damage he built wouldn’t be as manageable if Yu found his target.

It flattered him, how K wanted to finish him off quickly. He buried his face in his fists, biting his thumbs as Yu showered him with more excruciating blows. As an in-fighter, he had honed his seventh sense for his opponent’s bloodlust, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. Yu had none.

What was more, Yu had no problem switching at In-Jae’s most favourable range as they rubbed opposing elbows. _Dammit, stop being so perfect, Yu!_ In-Jae had to be careful not to lose this exchange. He could not keep up with Yu’s footwork or the deftness of his punches, but he had to keep the ball rolling.

He had to make Yu go faster.

“ _I cannot believe this! For the first time this match, the challenger is keeping up with the champion, blow-for-blow! He is deflecting his hits!”_

_And it’s no walk in the park, you stupid announcer!_ In-Jae groaned inwardly as he gritted his teeth, eyes fixed at Yu’s vacant ones. He had understood the terror of Yu’s past opponents now; Yu’s eyes were not only intimidating but also damning. _To resist is futile_ , they sneered. _I will show you your limits_ , they seemed to cackle.

_Even so._ In-Jae kept looking on ahead and rooted his feet on the mat. One blow from Yu was enough to nearly make his arms fly off. He then shifted his left feet, twisting his torso to the left, arms shooting upwards straight to Yu’s jaw. He blocked it. In-Jae hammered another one. He saw Yu’s eyes widen after his fist landed on his left wrist once more. _Even so-_ he repeated as he threw a right hook straight to the champ’s temple. _My limits don’t frighten me._ He found himself cursing again when Yu swayed back before launching a fierce straight of his own that slipped past In-Jae by mere centimetres. _They never frightened me. Not with Ryu. Not with you-_

Yu released another payback hook that In-Jae blocked before diving towards an exchange of lefts. He shifted his right foot again. It took him a long time to even use switch-hitting in a match. All for this moment. Just to go toe-to-toe with the champ. _Bring it,_ In-Jae’s eyes were alight while his heart pumped faster. He charged again. _Bring it on-_

His head then hit the mat.

* * *

“Sh-“ In-Jae’s dad did not need to finish as the referee began the count. He did not know if In-Jae could recover from that.

“Looks like he evolved again,” Carmen said. “That’s the first time I saw him perform a cross-counter. Your son might lose.”

“You’re right. He might not get up again. I never thought he would pull it off, and against his type’s mortal enemy no less. We boxers dream of landing one, but most never do in their entire career.”

“What?”

“The perfect punch,” he said. “It’s a punch you don’t see coming and he did it without breaking a sweat.” _He played Jae like a fiddle, fucking Christ._ “He really is a monster.”  
  


* * *

K smiled vividly as he met Yu’s eyes. _Brutal, beautiful,_ he lauded his best boxer as he stayed impassively in his corner. That was a shrewd way to axe his dear friend.

“You see it, don’t you?” K remembered asking his protégé as they watched In-Jae’s last match with the rest of his team. Yu was nonplussed beside him, arms crossed. “Why he keeps pushing to in-fight? He doesn’t have the build, the raw strength.”

Yu said nothing. Their last ordeal with Ryu made more sense.

“He’s more susceptible to punches on his left side as well. He had hidden it so well, but to imagine he can still challenge us-“

Yu looked on. In-Jae was more of a boxer type, but his reach felt off a few times in his debut fight. Was this a strategy for his in-fighter opponent? He was a pure fighter for the rest of his matches. 

“This will be a learning experience for you,” K had said. “Destroy him completely because of his handicap. Make sure he knows his place and retires after facing you.”

Yu’s gaze remained affixed on the screen as In-Jae raises his fists in response to his win. His then-friend was near tears as he huddled with his team. How simple. “Ok,” he replied and waited for K to turn the video off.

* * *

In-Jae wore glasses, even during the joint-interview. His mouth grew small when he noticed Yu’s long gaze.

“Yeah, I forgot to wear contacts so…” he laughed nervously. “It’s a little unnerving. You weren’t as keen back in school. Understandable, of course! We’ll be fighting soon, and-“

“Are you sure you want to fight me?” It was the first time he found the doubt harder to uproot. “My coach has told me why you in-fight.”

“Just what you’ll expect from Mr. K.” The smile on In-Jae’s face became more pronounced. He motioned towards his left eye. “Accident when I was a kid. That’s why…” he let Yu fill in the blanks. “But it doesn’t mean you should go easy on me! I turned pro knowing that.”

Yu looked at In-Jae again. He was redder this time and was fretting over his host’s silverware. “You’re strong.”

“Woah, thank you… Even if you’re mollifying me, with my spotty record and all-“

“You are. I… sorry for never asking you things,” Yu said.

“Well, ditto. I mean, you had been patient with me droning on and on. Even when I was a lower life form in school, you never left my side.”

“I didn’t think you were a lower life form,” Yu smiled. In-Jae rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. “I liked listening to you.”

In-Jae found it really difficult to maintain further eye contact with Yu and quickly took their dirty dishes to the sink. “You’re very kind, Yu. Ahaha, now it’s hard for me to think about fighting you!”

“Sorry.”

“No, no, no! In a good way! Uhm-“ Shit, shit, shit, he really should watch his mouth. He did not want to push Yu away like last time. Looking back, he really was a selfish prick. If he had invited him to crash at his place instead of chickening out, maybe Ryu would not have considered harassing him instead. “I haven’t really asked you properly, but why did you like hanging out with me? You could have chosen a better school life by-”

“You were the only person who talked to me,” Yu said. “I hate people in general. They really don’t bother to give a damn with the likes of me.”

“But Mr. K-“

“You were the only person who never wanted anything from me. It made me happy.”

In-Jae could not focus on washing the glasses properly. He did not know Yu had an affinity to panegyrics. It did not sound right, coming from him. “I guess I was just lonely. You were the only person who bothered to listen.”

“Can I keep listening then? Is that okay?”

He inhaled. “Yeah, of course. You can talk too. I like listening too.”

“Okay,” said Yu.

“Okay,” smiled In-Jae.

* * *

In-Jae wanted to see Yu the moment he stepped out of the hospital. He may not have meant to save him, and his friend may not have been conscious when it took place, but In-Jae wanted to listen. How would Yu sound as he narrated it? How would he paint himself in his own retelling? Yu was often seen as the gloomy one in class, a measly husk in his classmates’ eyes, but In-Jae could not help but gravitate to Yu’s orbit.

“You didn’t know?” his classmates had scoffed after telling him that Yu dropped out a month ago. “He left without telling you?” He could taste the acrid pity in between.

Maybe he just preferred hanging out with broken people. It might be because it gave him a sense of superiority, of control. He was no different from Ryu in that sense.

He did not tell his classmates that he did visit Yu’s empty studio apartment. No traces of furniture on the floors. Cobwebs had long permeated the shelves.

“A boy lived here. Didn’t leave the house much,” the caretaker told him. “Only brought a small bag and his cat when he left.”

In-Jae wiped his eyes. There were plenty of things he did not bother to ask. It was easier, really, to chatter away.

He told Yu all this that night after listening and responding around the right parts.

“I don’t think so,” Yu said. “For you, it’s easy to be kind.”

* * *

“Why do you box?” one of the strongest and bravest men In-Jae ever met asked him one starlit night at a gym’s rooftop.

“I’m sorry, I’m bad at explaining myself,” In-Jae was quick to dismiss himself first before answering. “I’m a selfish person, you see.”

Coach Kim had kicked him out of South Korea two months ago and had him shipped off to Japan, leaving him with an indecipherable map of an unknown gym as a parting gift. The gym head, a former Olympic champ named Misaki, was surprisingly less intimidating than he assumed and promptly gave him a list of exercises that were quadruple the training he got from Kim. “That’s Yuto’s,” she said. “You’ll spar with him afterwards.”

“Wait, Yuto Takeda’s?” He found his own jaw slackening at the sight of the best in-fighter in his division as he emerged just behind him, drenched in sweat. “I- I thought he- you- retired?” he was quick to bow at the man his coach wanted In-Jae to emulate.

“You’re the next idiot who wants to get axed, huh?” Yuto laughed. “Okay, I will accompany you. We’re gonna start with stretches.”

“Um- But you just began roadwork-“  
  


He was Yu’s second kill in his headhunt for the belts of each division. Their fight was brutal, costing Yuto his jaw and career.

“Well, that makes me a selfish one too,” Yuto replied to him as they laid down on the cemented roof deck after 20 rounds of mass boxing months later. “Or maybe I had been too arrogant and deserved that end.”

“No way you were! I was moved by your last pre-fight interview!”

“Okay, enough about me! How about you? Why do you box?”

“I really thought… swear you won’t laugh!”

“I won’t. Okay, I swear!”

“Um, I really wanted to become strong before and test the stuff I learned, I guess. I did not have any big expectations where my career will end up but then as I scored more wins, I realised that it’s a big ocean out there, and I was one of the lucky fishes.”

“But you didn’t want to stay like one of the guppies in wait! You wanted to take on the big tunas!”

“That’s too specific! Actually-“ It still flashed on him at random times, the day he last saw Yu as Ryu beat him senseless. “Maybe it’s because I’m bad at forgetting, especially the awful stuff. I wished I was stronger at the time. Maybe Yu would’ve-” He shook his head. He was awfully selfish after all.

“Y’know, you remind me of my coach. Not the skills, okay! But, y’know… She’s bad at forgiving herself. There is stuff out of your control sometimes, but that’s okay!”

In-Jae found himself tearing up. Yuto ruffled his hair. “This will be the last time you cry, okay? The only time I’ll forgive you for crying is when you win!”

“That’s impossible!”

“Miss Misaki said so too!” Yuto laughed heartily. “But I think you’ll be able to pull it off, especially when it counts. You don’t have big dreams as I do, but you’re not arrogant. You just have a big heart.”

“What good is that? I wished I had your build or stamina…”

“It means you know your limits. But it doesn’t mean you let things end like that.” He then told him they had ten seconds left to rest before another round of shadowboxing.

* * *

Yuto grasped the railings and took a deep breath before bellowing, “You can do it, Jay!”

His friend Yamaguchi looked at him incredulously along with the people behind them. “It’s over, man. You did your best whipping him to shape but-“

“You can do it!” Yuto’s voice was louder and less desperate this time. In-Jae was different from him and the boxers he had faced. He had his demons, but he neither repressed nor gave himself up to them. Plus, compared to him, he was still keeping his cards close. No way was In-Jae going to quit as he had.

“If you’re gonna in-fight, you’ve gotta commit!” he had said to In-Jae back at his gym in Tokyo, teaching him to defend yet stick close to his opponent, fuck his fear and learn from the ex-champion’s mistakes.

“You could have gotten married instead of drowning in your past grudges, coach,” he told Misaki that late evening after dropping off In-Jae first. “I don’t want the same thing to happen again.”

“If that will become my way of thinking when I date someone, then no thanks,” she said, reclining back at her seat. “What happened to the crazy boy who wouldn’t relent until he had beaten Kazu’s ass?”

He tittered. “You’re right. It’s not like me to discourage people after seeing them work so hard.”

“It’s easier to see ourselves in other people,” Misaki said. Her tone softened, “How do you think he lasted this long, against all odds?”

Yuto kept his eyes affixed at the sedan ahead. “You really liked to root for the boxing idiots, didn’t you, coach?”

“I don’t really have anything else except boxing,” she said. “And like you, I’m gonna give it all I’ve got.”

“Even if it will all be for nothing, in the end?”

“I don’t think it will this time. After all, I have another coach helping me.”

“If this is In-Jae’s coach-“

“It’s you, you stupid boy!”

* * *

“What makes you think it will be different this time?” Yamaguchi asked him, anchoring him back.

“He has us,” Yuto folded his arms defiantly in response. _The outcome will be different. You’re not like me, Jay._ “He will not fall so easily again.”

“If he doesn’t get up, you’ll treat me for drinks later.”

“I’m not gonna lose, even if you’re my friend!” Yuto gulped and bellowed In-Jae’s name one more time.

He didn’t need to.

* * *

  
  


Yu wondered why In-Jae agreed to spend the night at his house, sleeping on the floor beside him, exhaling after he inhaled as if they shared the same pair of lungs.

“Can’t you sleep?”  
  


“Just thinking. Our time together then barely lasted a month and… I didn’t think that I’d be like that for you.”  
  


“Is it funny?”  
  


“Not really,” In-Jae hid the half of his face with the covers. Yu’s cat purred and shifted its position on his left armpit. “I- you have such high expectations, geez-“  
  


“Sorry,” Yu said. “I really do think highly of you. How you always get back up… it’s chilling.”  
  


In-Jae broke into a laugh. “A lot of people always wanted me to stay down so they can watch the next fight. No one really thought of it as chilling, uhm, how do I put this…” He wondered how Yu could stand his bumbling rhetoric. “I’m just stubborn. Or stupid, take your pick. My dad said whenever he was lying on the mat, he knew the dangers involved in getting up. But he still chooses pain.”  


“Why?”  
  


“It’s what makes a person human. He said that’s the philosophy behind prize-fighting: Pain is something to master, not to wallow in.”  
  


All was still.  
  


“Ehehe, that thinking is too masochistic. I mean, it is dangerous to get back up when your brain is shaking from the impact. Your body can’t always keep up with your spirit. My losses are proof of that.”  
  


“So what do you do then?” Yu’s voice was quieter.  
  


“I just fight and hope for the best. Not that inspiring, right? I mean, I know I’ll never beat you in a million years but sometimes you just gotta fight. You are an important person to me too. I guess… don’t laugh, ok?”  
  


“I won’t.”  
  


“Ok,” In-Jae closed his eyes in case he instinctively turned at Yu’s direction again. “I guess I want you to have the best night of your life. I want you to have fun.”

* * *

  
The green on In-Jae’s irises was alight and terrifying as it then crossed the referee’s eyes. Yu let go of the ropes and lowered his stance. It was the same eyes that brought their former bullies to their knees. Those were the eyes that cast off all the doubts, the self-boasts, the fears. He remembered that man with the golden hair again from a long time ago as his hands seemed to stir the stars. Their twinkling is only palpable in the dark. The more palling the blackness, the more sublime they seem.

“Box!” The ref cut the air.

Yu smiled and thanked his friend, before bringing out the inevitable knock out. 

**To be continued-**


End file.
